In the kitchen of a large Victorian house, four servants sit solemnly in the evening gloom. Upstairs, a midwife attends to the laying-out of their mistress, who has died suddenly, sitting in front of a mirror, adorned with all her jewellery. Mrs Abernethy, the housekeeper, and Lane, the Mistress’s personal maid, are supposed to have listed and locked away all this jewellery, but when Twilley, the maid of all work, finds a diamond ring on the floor, Cook realises that they have appropriated some of the jewellery for themselves and demands a share. Reluctantly, they agree, but then the bell in the Mistress’s room rings. The servants stare at the line of bells in disbelief and mountain apprehension – the midwife has gone, her duty done, and all the servants are in the kitchen – so who calls?